Audrey stared at the needlework in her hands. The woman, now twenty-nine summers old, had just given up on the needle and thread. there was no need for her to do such work nor did she had the urge for the hobby at that moment. Standing up elegantly, Audrey walked to her large window and stared outside. The sun was in a good position at a little past its zenith and it did Audrey's heart good knowing that her mare was prancing around in the good weather down below.

Her good mood was ruined however as a chamber-servant knocked on her door. After allowing him to enter with a quiet 'come in', Audrey glanced behind her to see Daniel there. The red-headed male bowed his head quickly to the Lady and then recited his message. "Lady Audrey, the king wants to see you in his chambers." At this, Audrey rolled her eyes but nodded anyway.

"Was he in a good or bad mood when you left him, Daniel?" She asked as she headed to her closet. If there was anything that Katherine had instilled in her, it was that she had to wear something new every time she was to go see him. It's never to look nice for him, aye no, Kathy had told her, 'if anything, it's just to show that you respect him and are letting him know he can't have you.' Katherine had always been able to tell once Henry was interested in Anne and the last thing that she had wanted was that Henry would switch his attention to her Lady-in Waiting. However, both Katherine and Audrey knew that wouldn't happen.

"He was flinging stuff around from his table." Came the bemused reply and Audrey sighed. Choosing a simple blue and silver dress with gold trim and heavy lace and tossing it unto her bed, Audrey then commented. "Brilliant. Very well, tell your majesty I shall be on my way to him." With a simple wave to her friend, Daniel left the room to let Audrey dress. Taking off her own corset-less breakfast gown was simple enough but she had to enlist the help of two maids with this dress. If it wasn't Henry, she wouldn't have bothered with this but it was. Unfotunately it was.

Brushing her hair deftly and then topping of her head with her Lady-In-Waiting crown, Audrey left her chambers. In truth, she had not spoken to Henry since the christening of Prince Edward VI and that had been a large affair. Jane was also dreadfully sick as of what Audrey last heard and the young Lady did not really know if the Queen was dead yet or not. Shaking her head, Audrey cleared her mind of dreadful things to brace herself for a more fearful one: an enraged Henry VII.

Knocking on the door a mere twenty minutes after she was sent for, Audrey was let in by Daniel, who bowed once again to her. Seeing Henry at the desk seated, Audrey made a line towards him. Wearing the same somewhat plastic smile she had for all those years, she gave him a deep bow. "Good day Your Majesty. What can I service you in today?" Her voice was honey sweet as always but Henry knew better. This was simply the farce that she kept up everyday. She despised him, she wanted him dead and the only thing stopping her from ruining his life was Katherine. That, and she finally respected him a bit for killing Anne Boleyn that mere year ago.

Audrey mentally berated herself for how her question sounded, almsot as if she was making a proposition. Henry wished she would make a proposition like that, or at least that's what she said in her mind. Her smile held its civil nature as one of his own appeared on his face. He seemed haggard and Audrey realized that the Queen was probably not doing well, just as she had thought. When she had spat out that hateful 'curse' to Audrey all those years ago, she had never expected it to pass on to Jane. Maybe this wasn't even that though, because Jane's child had been a son after all.

This thinking past through Audrey's mind mercifully concealed from her King, who would have probably demanded her thoughts quite instantly. Unfortunately, she was quite right for Henry asked her for her thoughts. On marriage. She gave him a blank look, trying to register the first part of that statement. "My Lord, marriage has never really been a prospect for me. I'm sure Katherine told you of my past." She left her shaky response at that because if Katherine didn't tell him, then she had kept her confidence like she said she would have. But, it was more likely that Katherine had told Henry before she had been banished so as to convince Henry to let her stay.

It was then that the second part of his statement registered in her mind and she took a deep breath before giving a disdaining look. "Do I look like a 'replacement' wife sir? I doubt I would be a fair replacement wife in a society where woman are hidden from the public eye in their own house. Do you not remember my ill-tempered nature My Lord?" The last question was a bit of a rhetoric, but she figured he would answer anyway. He always did that, just as she did to him. This was a game to both of them because they both did not particularly like the other, or at least Audrey disliked Henry. A battle of wills and stubbornness that neither one of them was going to hand over like that.

Audrey felt her ire rise and without a thought, her fists came to rest of her shapely hips as her dark eyes narrowed at him in a beautifully dangerous manner. The more he spoke, the less Audrey was likely to listen to him. He should have just let it go the minute she had said she wasn't interested in marriage. Audrey was willing to stay an unmarried old hag and she was going to love every minute of it as long as she didn't have to ever deal with an unwelcome man in her bed.

As Henry stood, Audrey watched him cautiously with glistening eyes. He was trying so hard to get rid of her, to take her from the only real home she had known. He was trying to send her off to India, India for Christ's sakes! Rejects were sent there to deal with the 'savages', as she had heard some of the Lords say in the dining rooms. And Henry was trying to skirt out his responsibilities to Katherine's last wishes. She wasn't going to allow it one bit.

"My Lord, if I may say something?" She said, her voice dangerously calm as she walked towards him. Without warning, she pushed him roughly into the window, hopefully getting his head a least a little hurt. It wasn't enough to make him bleed but perhaps the common sense would be knocked into him now. "I refuse to be sent off like some miscrient child to boarding school. This is the rest of my life we're talking about and I refuse to leave the only home I know. I don't care if you make me a servant for the rest of my days, I just want you to know that I would rather die than marry any man you wish for me to marry. My Lord." She spate out the part with a venom that would have been able to kill the largest of snakes, a Basilisk even.

Her small hands were still lodged into his shirt and with quick realization, she let it go, watching the soft silk rest back in its place stretched against his strong back. What had she just done? She had just assaulted the King of England. With that fearful realization, she took a step back, even though she knew it was futile. Henry was known for his quick temper, just as she was known for hers. There was no doubt he would try to hurt her, even if just a little bit in some way. If anything, she might have just made certain her move to India. 'Oh God Kathy, what have I done?!'

Her fears were only confirmed as she was slapped hard across the face. The King's hand was large against her small face and that fact alone made the sting hurt even more. Her big brown eyes, formerly filled with anger and determination, were now watery and filled with fear. She had definitely messed up. In her relapse of judgement, her voice grew soft and tried to apologize for her.

"M'Lord forgive. I didn't mean it at all, I swear." But her pleas went unheeded and Henry yelled more at her. She tried more and Henry grasped her small throat firmly before pushed her against the wall and earning a small cry of pain from her. In the back of her mind, she wondered if he was enjoying this just as much as she was scared of it. Her tears fell out of her eyes unknowingly as she tried to move her feet around fruitlessly. Henry had the physical power to kill her right there and the political power to have her executed or exiled for years.

As he threatened her more, Audrey felt her own resolve crumbling as the situation felt so similar to another one long ago. But then, the face was covered in darkness, the hands were unfamiliar to her and she was not dealing with the King. Back then all those years ago, she had been dealing with a total stranger, the father of her lost child. But, the King's voice, the King's power reminded her of it, brought her back to that place she thought was lost long ago in the back of her mind. It made the tears run down her face even harder.

"I'm s-sorry Henry. I d-didn't mean any of it! P-please, don't-" She was cut short as he dropped her to the floor and drank wine. Her eyes widened before she had to try and blink her tears away. Her fire was gone, there was no use for her to fight anymore. She wasn't the strong girl that she had been when she had walked into Henry's chambers. She was the scared teenager from all those years ago, the one Katherine of Aragon had found in the streets and had taken care of. The child that Katherine had introduced into this lifestyle that Henry was now taking away from her.

"Henry . . .please . . . ." But she was too late to apologize. There was nothing for her to do but do as he commanded. She was his subordinate, he was her Lord and gracious King. He had let her stay here all these years, endured all her hatred and when he had offered a good marriage, she had assaulted him. Hearing his commands, Audrey took in a shuddering breath and nodded. "Yes M'lord, as . . . as you wish."

Sniffling terribly, she kept her chocolate eyes cast down at his shoes before reaching to the top of her head. Not finding her crown there, she looked on the floor quickly and found them by the window near where she had been pushed up against the wall. She put the crown in front of her before taking off the earrings she had made herself put on along with the necklace and bracelet that had been Katherine's, the ones that she had been given before the Queen's exile and eventual death. Kneeling up, she rearranged her dress around her and then began to unbutton her dress as silently as possible, trying to mask her sniffles with coughs.

It was no use though, she had been completely broken down before the King. Now, the only thing left for him to take was her dignity, and that was already gone as she began to slip the dress down her milky body. Quite soon, she stood there in her chemise and had neatly folded up her dress and put it at his feet with her jewelery on top of the pile. Keeping her eyes cast down, she had her arms attempting to cover her modesty but to no use. With her last bit of voice, Audrey said something that truly spoke of her lost spirit.

"What now sir? What do you wish for me to do, my King?" Her voice was softer than a nightingale's and none of her forced sweetness was heard. It was all gentle, all obedient, all completely unlike Audrey. Henry had managed to destroy the woman Katherine had helped make and in her stead had left the scared 16 year old of 13 years ago. Audrey had had no say in it and now, she felt as if she was never going to have a say in anything now.

Audrey kept her eyes cast down even as she heard the goblet touch the wooden table. She was in for it now. She had done something wrong, she had to have done something wrong. However, his soft voice told her something else. He sounded . . . sorry about something. Audrey chanced a glance up at his face before casting her eyes back down to his neck. He was probably just tricking her or something. He hated her anyway, didn't he?

His voice was warm and comforting but even that voice of his could not prepare her for his hug. She stiffened instantly with her arms at her sides, not knowing what to do at the contact. No man had touched her in the past years, let alone held in her a hug like he did right now. And plus, the most he had ever done was pat her on the head or shoulder. However, his voice enveloped her senses again and she remembered where she was, who she was with. It was Henry, the only link she had left to Katherine, even if he did re-marry again and again.

"I . . . I'm sorry . . . . For everything M'Lord." She gasped before wrapping her arms around his back and leaning her head on his chest. It was odd how she fit will in his embrace but she didn't think of it. He eyes were leaking tears again after all. "Please don't-don't send me away! Please . . . I'm so-so-sorry!" She whispered through her sharp breathes. Would he take pity on her, like he seemed to be? She did not want to leave England, even if that meant being away from Henry. She could deal with him for as long as necessary just to stay in the home she was so used to.

He placed his head on top of her's and Audrey felt no urge to flinch as she normally would have. Even though Henry had just hit her, her cheek stung at the memory, he was being very gentle with her. It surprised her, being held by the usually womanizing and cocky king as if she were made of china. At an angle, she was. She had just broken down in front of the man who she had hated for a good portion of her life for mistreating the woman she had called a mother. And yet, here he was comforting her in the most gentlest of ways. He confused her so much.

"Thank you . . . . " She murmured, trying to get her wits back. She couldn't believe how she had broken down like that but it . . . if felt so much like that time. She closed her eyes to rid herself of the memories as they raced through her mind. Just as she squeezed his middle just a little, he pulled back and spoke to her. She complied meekly and looked up at him, wondering what he was going to tell her. She nodded as he explained himself even though she really did not want to leave her home.

He left her and she could really feel the difference in the air. He had managed to keep her warm in her chemise and now she was shivering a bit now that she wasn't crying hysterically. It had only be a few seconds and Audrey was now enveloped in a warm coat. It smelled just like him and because of the warmth, she almost thought she was hugging him again. But she wasn't, he was off pouring more wine in his goblet. As he handed it to her, she blinked in surprise at him before accepting it thankfully.

"Thank you, I do feel better." She told him, gracing him with a small smile before sipping at the wine. Licking her lips, she appreciated to old taste before gulping the rest down in one go. Taking a deep breath, she looked up and tilted her head at him. Her lips could still taste the liquid on them and maybe that was where she was getting her courage from. In any case, the recovered Audrey was making a small entrance.

"I hope you realize that . . . well . . . . I'm still half-naked here Henry." She told him with an arched eyebrow, glancing down at the coat covering her current state. Looking back at him, her face grew mournful and solemn. "Where can I find the closest pair of servant clothing and who am I to serve?" She hadn't forgotten what had gotten her in this state. Her and her big mouth. Since that was the case, she was genuinely being as polite as she felt like it. And right now, she was feeling suddenly quite . . . loyal to her old mistress' ex-husband.